Showgirls (1995)

Nomi, a young drifter, arrives in Las Vegas to become a dancer and soon sets about clawing and pushing her way to become the top of the Vegas showgirls.

Director:

Paul Verhoeven (as Jan Jansen)

Writer:

Joe Eszterhas

Stars:

Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, Gina Gershon

10 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Elizabeth Berkley	...	Nomi Malone
Kyle MacLachlan	...	Zack Carey
Gina Gershon	...	Cristal Connors
Glenn Plummer	...	James Smith
Robert Davi	...	Al Torres
Alan Rachins	...	Tony Moss
Gina Ravera	...	Molly Abrams
Lin Tucci	...	Henrietta 'Mama' Bazoom
Greg Travis	...	Phil Newkirk
Al Ruscio	...	Mr. Karlman
Patrick Bristow	...	Marty Jacobsen
William Shockley	...	Andrew Carver
Bobbie Phillips	...	Dee
Dewey Weber	...	Jeff
Rena Riffel	...	Penny / Hope

Storyline

Nomi Malone, a mysterious young girl with the ambition to dance embarks on a journey to Las Vegas to become a showgirl in a high-class hotel show. There she meets Molly, a seamstress at the Stardust Hotel and the two quickly become good friends. She gets a job as a lap dancer at the seedy Cheetah Club but after a chance meeting with Cristal Connors, the star of Goddess, the current show at the hotel where Molly works, Nomi manages to secure an audition for a spot on the chorus line.However she soon realises that fame comes with a price as her friendships, her morals and her soul are put to the test as she works her way up the ladder and eventually becomes the star of the show, stealing Cristal's part. She begins to wonder if all of her work was for nothing and if she can reclaim her life back before it is too late.

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Plot Keywords:

stripper | lap dancing | female nudity | sex in a swimming pool | breasts | 

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Taglines:

Sex, seduction and betrayal.

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated NC-17 for nudity and erotic sexuality throughout, and for some graphic language and sexual violence

Details

Country:

France USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 September 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Coristas

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$45,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,112,627, 24 September 1995, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$20,302,961

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$37,702,961

Company Credits

Production Co:

Carolco Pictures, Chargeurs, United Artists

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min 131 min (NC-17)

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo Dolby SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the film tanked on its opening weekend, writer Joe Eszterhas took the unprecedented step of taking out an ad in Variety, urging female movie-goers to go see the movie, not because it was semi-pornographic but because it highlighted the exploitations that lap dancers are subjected to. He attacked the studio for using cheap marketing tricks, where they used the tag line 'Leave your inhibitions at the door' to sell the film as a cheap sex movie. Needless to say, this tactic didn't help the film any.

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Goofs

The trained chimps are referred to throughout the film as monkeys. Chimpanzees are apes.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jeff: Hop in, pard!
Nomi Malone: Where are you going?
Jeff: Vegas! Come on! This is your lucky day!

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Alternate Versions

When the film aired on VH1, any nudity especially during the stage performances and sex scenes, were digitally painted over to match skin tones or previous articles of clothing that covered those areas. The heavily altered VH1 broadcast version credits "Jan Jansen" as director.

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Connections

Referenced in Mike & Mike: Episode dated 1 February 2016 (2016)

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Soundtracks

Let's Get Together
Written by John Pro, Octoviano Silva and Jim Archer
Performed by SF Spanish Fly
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc. / Upstairs Records
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Awesome

This film to me seemed to be what made Boogie Nights possible. Sure Elizabeth's acting could use a little work, but this was her first film straight from Saved by the Bell. What a change of character, and I think it is pulled off well. The story is intriguing, and I truly enjoy the characters, which I believe are pretty close to the way some people I know truly are. I am a huge fan of this film, and would recommend this great movie to anyone over the age of 17. It is not a kid movie, or a teenage flick, sure it has some hard subject matter, but don't let that stand in the way of a great film.